Film stalwart passes

Howard Campbell, Gleaner Writer

Lloyd Alberga, a stalwart of the Jamaican film industry, died on Saturday at the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI). He was 96 years old.

Alberga was a senior member of the Carib Theatre and its parent company, the Palace Amusement Company (PAC), for over 60 years.

Juanita Alberga, his wife of 35 years, told The Gleaner that he fell at home last Wednesday and broke his hip. He was admitted to the UHWI and was scheduled to undergo surgery, but died early Saturday.

Alberga, who was once general manager of the PAC, retired from the company in 2007. He would have celebrated his 97th birthday on December 24.

Born in Kingston in 1913, Alberga was the first of two children born to Jewish parents. He attended Wolmer's Boys' School and began working at the Carib Theatre while in his early 20s, when it was owned by the Morais family.

Alberga remained with the company when it was purchased by the Graham family in the early 1960s. It grew into the PAC which also included the Palace cinema at South Camp Road and the Harbour View Drive-In in nearby Harbour View.

Though he was best known for his role in developing Jamaica's film industry, Lloyd Alberga was also a pioneer in local 'ham' radio. For 10 years, he served as president of the Jamaica Amateur Radio Association.

Alberga used that medium to help in the search for five Jamaica College students who went missing during a hike of the Blue Mountains in April 1939. They were found two weeks after they were reported missing.

Lloyd Alberga, who was pre-deceased by his sister Clare, had no children.

He will be given a traditional Jewish burial on a date to be announced.